just ad memories

For its 35th anniversary, Bernstein-Rein Advertising is returning to the past. Or rather, the past is returning to it. Janey Fopeano, an actress who appeared in one of the agency’s campaigns 25 years ago, recently stopped by the Kansas City, Mo., shop to reminisce. Fopeano was the spokeswoman in Bernstein-Rein’s “Hi neighbor” campaign for Milgram’s Grocery Stores. Those ads served the agency quite well, attracting the attention of the late billionaire retailer Sam Walton. Walton’s interest led to a 25-year (and counting) relationship between Wal-Mart stores and Bernstein-Rein. While at the agency, Fopeano helped dedicate a conference room to Ray Schoenfeld. Schoenfeld, a longtime Bernstein-Rein employee who died last year, is the man who introduced agency president Bob Bernstein to vice chairman Skip Rein 35 years ago. And the rest is history. –Aaron Baar